The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-21
A HANGMAN's EXPERIENCE.
He Tells Something of the Fifty-Two
Executions Which He Managed.

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From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat.
There is probably but one man in the
world who has been the chief actor in the
execution of ffty-two men, and that is
George B. Malidon, Of Fort Smith, Ark. e,
who has prepared the ropes and attended to
the preliminary arrangements for the hang
ing of the numerous criminals who have
met their fate here, 1ifty-two in all. Meet
ing Mr.. Malidon recently your correspond
ent took occasion to interrogate him as to
his experience in the hanging business.
The first man ever had anything to do
with hanging said he. was John Childers,
who was executed Aug Is, 1873, and by the
way, John was the first man ever hung at
Fort Smith by the United States Court
There were probably 5000 people present,
hangings in those days being public. Chill
ders had many friends in the Indian Terri
tory, and the report had reached here that
an attempt would be made to rescue him,
hence there were about 100 guards and Dep
uty Marshals stationed around the gallows
enclosure. A singular incident of this exc
cution was that when Childers was taken
from the Jail TO the gallows the sun was
shining beautifully While the ceremonies
on the gallows were being held storm came
up, and just as the trap was sprung the
keenest flash of lightning ever saw rent
of thunder, BY the time the body was cut
down the storm had spent its fury, and the
sun was again shining brightly"
"DO you ever have any trouble with the
Indians that are hung, more than with
whites or negroesF
"As rule Indians are less trouble than
whites, and seldom give their keepers any
annoyance. They walk out to the gallows
without a murmur, seldom make any talk,
nd iDI iSc Tph, liz full
blooded Choctaw, who was hung, / think,
the same year John Childers was, displayed
more feeling than any Indian | ever saw,
and was so troublesome that it became
necessary to chain him to post in a room
over the court honse He would beg me to
shoot him every time l went about him.
He died game, though, and was defiant and
stoical on the gallowS Two other Indians
were hung at the same time Billy was"
Isn't hanging man an extremely .disa-
greeable duty to perform"
1T certainly is not very pleasant job,
but have become so accustomed to it that
it now has no effect on me. | have got the
business down fine and know just how to
prepare moose and how to adjust one to
make a complete and successful job, Of
course, / feel sorry for any man who is SO
unfortunate as to get himself hung, but at
the same time think larger share of my
that has been murdered
did you ever hang a man that you
thought might possibly be innocent"
mo; L believe every man executed here
was guilty and deserved his punishment,
though OF course there have been many
who deserved it more than others, but sell
dom think of making any distinction be-
tween murderers.
"How many did you ever hang at one
timer
six was the largest number ever taken
out at one time, and they were, with one
exception, fine looking young men,
William Moore, Dan Evans, Sam
Fooy, William Wilmington, whites; Sma-
ker Mankiller, Cherokee, and Ed Campbell,
n negro boy. Moore was the first man l
ever saw Ego OFF, mad. He glanced over
the immense crowd surrounding the gallows
defantly, and when asked if he had any
thing to say remarked that there were
worse men than he standing around looking
on. A striking contrast to Moore, how
ever, was Sam Fooy, whose mother, wife
and children were near at hand, and who
was well acquainted with many who had
come to see him hanged. During the ceremo-
MES on the gallows he stood facing the crowd
with a pleasant smile on his face, nod
ding his head frequently as his eyes caught
that of some friend. When asked If he de-
sired to say anything he glanced around and
said In pleasant tone of voice: Il am as
anxious to have this thing over with as
those who have assembled to see it, and will
therefore not delay matters-fareweL to
all There would have been seven to hang
this time, but Edward Butler, negro, at
tempted TO escape after receiving sentence
and was killed by a guard There have
been five hung at one time on two different
occasions since this execution
'bHnVa Won ever met with any accidents
i'll hanging criminals
II remember but one occasion where
failed TO break their necks and that was in
the case of little negro named James Diggs,
who turned his head just as l sprung the
trap and displaced the rope. He died hard,
strangling to DEATH
"All these condemned men are uneducat-
ed, rough characters, are they not"
GAS a general thing they are, many of
them being Indians and negroes. The
incest man | ever pulled black cap over
was Dr. Henry Stewart, who was hung in
1879, think for the murder of DIR. Jones
at Caddo, Choctaw Nation. He was pol
ished gentleman in appearance and well
educated He displayed extraordinary nerve
all the way through, asked no special favors
and complained at nothing. On the gallows
he had little to say and was much less nerv
Gus than those who surrounded him. Bill
Elliott known as Colorado Bill, was hung
with him, and also displayed great courage
saying he had killed his msn in self-aefensC
and if it was to do over again would do the
same thing As ] was adjusting the ropes
Elliott said: For Gods sake, boys, breai
our necks, don't punish us"
DO any of them ever break down on the
gallowsN
II have seen several of them weaken, but
never had to brace up but one or two, anc
that was only for q moment just before the
trap was sprung"
isn't it necessary to give lighter man
| lonqer fall than heavy ones"
=, mo. usually give them six-foot drop
Little ed Fulsom, hung, | think, some time
in 1884, did not weigh to exceed 1l5 pounds
and his neck was broken by a six-foot fall
DO they all think they are going straight
| to heaven"
well, a majority of them get some sort
of religion before the day of execution
comes round, and say they are ready TO go
having no fears as to their future, as they
have made peace with their God, but somt
! go off without making any preparations OF
/ IA religious character, aud in my opinion
/ they have about as good show to climb
! the Golden Stairs as tho others.
II always prepare the voiEs a week OF
more before the day of execution and
stretch them with dummies, adjusting the
trap and letting them fall through five OF
six times each day. The condemned men
always know when | am preparing for
] them, as they can easily hear the noise made
L